Curtain supporting draw cord



Dec. 24, 1929. EGGER 1,740,974

CURTAIN SUPPORTING DRAW com:

Filed Apiil 19, 1 2

FIG].

Patented Dec. 24, 1929 PATENT OFFICE LUIS G. EGGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CURTAIN-SUPPORTING DRAW CORD Application filed April 19,

This invention relates to curtain drawcords and, more particularly, to a simple form of curtain draw-cord assemblage which serves to support as well as render the curtains of a set of curtains movable in respect to each other, and which is adapted to be produced in such a finished state as to make the work of affixing the assemblage to curtains a relatively easy task.

Among the objects of this invention is to produce a curtain draw-cord assemblage in the form of a novel article of manufacture which may be purchased by a housewife in such a convenient form as to make the task is of applying it to a set of curtains a relatively easy one. This object has as one of its objectives, the utilization of a draw-cord for supporting the curtains of a set of curtains as well as for its usual function of affording convenient means of controlling the spread of the curtains.

Another object of the invention is to produce a draw-cord assemblage which is simple in design, though fully capable of eflicient use, and which may be marketed at a moderate cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be disclosed in the following description and claims. For a detailed understanding of the invention reference may be made to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of a portion of a set of curtains with the draw-cord assemblage of the present invention in place thereon and supporting the same in a window frame.

Fig. 2 is a unit of the draw-cord assemblage and consists of the left hand tape of Fig. 1 with its associated elements stitched thereon.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the tape of Fig. 2

and shows an end ring.

Fig. 1 is a section on line 44 of Fig. 2 and shows a pair of cord engaging or guiding members.

Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 2 and shows an adjustable clamp and cord engaging member.

Draw-cords are well known and have long been used for the purpose of gathering to gether or opening portieres which are supparted by rings upon a pole. The present in 1929. Serial N0. 356,351.

vention contemplates the use of a draw-cord for the purpose of supporting a set of curtains, as distinguished from heavy portieres, and at the same time for enabling the convenient opening and closing of the curtains without the use of a pole. In order that the idea of using curtain supporting draw-cords may be made attractive to a housewife, or manufacturer of curtains, I provide a curtain supporting draw-cord assemblage in a convenient form which can be readilyattached to a set of curtains. To this end I use a strip of material, such as tape, for each curtain and to the tape I fasten the necessary cord engaging members, rings, pulleys or equivalent elements. It is intended that the tapes, either individually, or in pairs with a cord in engagement with the rings, be obtainable from department stores and that a housewife, upon obtaining a pair of the same, need only sew them to the tops of a pair of curtains. If one of the standard lengths of tape obtainable be not of the exact length as the width of a curtain, the housewife would make tucks in a tape if it be too long, or pucker the upper hem of the curtain as the tape is sewed thereon if the tape be too short.

One practical arrangement of my invention is illustrated in the drawings. The curtains 10, 11, illustrated in Fig. 1, have attached thereto a pair of tapes 12, 13 along their upper edges. Tape 12 is provided at one end with an eyelet or ring 141 which is adapted to be fastened onto a hook 15 extending from one side of the window-frame. Rather than provide another ring for a pulley over which the cord may pass and in the interest of simplicity, ring 14. may also serve as a pulley. By so making a double use of ring 14 the pull of the cord will be transmitted directly to hook 15.

Along the length of the tape there are spaced various rings 16, 17 for the purpose of engaging and guiding the draw-cord 18 by which the curtains are supported. It is intended that these rings be secured to the tape as an assembled feature at the time of purchase.

The rings 16, 17 may be of any desired and may be attached to tapes in any Zontal extensions of the draw-cord 18 instead of a pair of rings, I prefer the double-loop wire form shown, since it requires less stitching than two rings would require-and the centacting of two portions of the draw-cord running in opposite directions is prevented. It will be understood that in articles of manufacture of this kind it is desirable that the rings be 01" such simple design as to .maintain their cost low. Since the curtain is supported by a draw-cord there should be a sutlicientnumber of rings to support the curtain neatly and without sag between successive rings.

Thetwo ends of draw-cord 18 extend beyond but oneedge of the set of curtains, and in the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 this edge appears at the right hand side. Ring 20, which is attached to tape 13,,is engaged by a hook 21. Since it is desirable to give direct support to the draw-cord 18 the ends of the draw-cord are passed through rings 22, 23, which are preferably integrally connected with ring 20. Rings 20,22 and 23 may be separate from one another and att ched t" the tape by any suitable means such as stitching.

As hereinbetore suggested, it is intended that the tapesbe sold in pairs and that different standard lengths of tape be obtainable so as toenable curtains of different widths to be equipped. One end of each tape of a pair of tapes 12, 13 is provided with an adjustable clasp 2 1 which is capable of being closed by a screw 25 to tightly engage the cord. For convenience, the clasp should be of such a character as to make the operation or associating it with thedraw-cord 18 a simple matter. It may be either independently attached to the tape or be integral with a-ring.

Fastened to the-ends of the draw-cordlS are weigh-ts 26, 27. The course of the drawcord from weight- 2Sis as 10110 *s .1 the drawcord passes through ring 22, through the up perrow ofrings 16 on tape 13, through one of the .clasps 25, fastened to tape 12, then through another row of rings 16 on'tape 12, ring 141, a-row of rings 17 on tape 12, clasp 25 on tape 13, a row of rings 17 on tape-13 and thence through ring 23 to weight 27. Rings 141, 22 and 23 serve as pulleys and their principle requisites are that they should be smoothand made of strong material.

In making use of the invention the housewife would purchase a pair of tapes of the desired lengths, or as near the desired lengths obtainable, and attach them at the tops of the curtains. For. convenience, it should be possible to obtain a set of tapes with its drawcord threaded through the various rings, but in the event that the cord is bought separately it would be necessary that it be passed through the various cord engaging members just de scribed. The curtain is then ready to be suspended and it is placed in position with rings 14, 2O engaging hooks 15, 21, respectively, which had previously been placed at the sides of the window-frame. The weights are permitted to hang ireely and thereby cause the two portions of cord 18 which are disposed between rings 14 and 22, 23 to become taut and thereby support the curtain. The edges of the curtain may then be drawn together so as to meet at the vertical center line or" the window-frame as illustrated in Fig. 1'. In order to .complete theinstallation oi the curtain supporting draw-cord it remains only to elosethe clasps 24 at the adjacent inner ends of the tapes 1-2, 13. The closing of these clasps will cause the draw-cord to be secured to the tape at these points so that any subsequent pulling of the draw-cord such as would result by the lowering of weight 27 would cause the two claspsto follow the portions of the draw-cord which move in opposite directions and thereby cause the curtains to be spread apart. A subsequent lowering of weight 26 would cause the two clasps 24 to be moved toward each otherby reason 0f the movement of the portions of the draw cord to which these clasps are respectively secured.

In order that the upper edge of the curtain may be always straight when the curtains are closed it may be found to be convenient to afiix a hook 28, Fig. 1, to one side oft-he window- ;t'rame inthe vicinity of the position which weight 26 will assume when the curtains are closed. This hook should be placed so as to engage with a portion of the weight orwith a ring 29 so as to maintain the same in its lowermost position, in which position the draw-cord will be taut and its respective central portions will define straight lines from one edge of the window-trame to the other. Of course it is to be understood that the mass of the weights'should be so chosen as to maintain the draw-cord 1'8 taut under all circum stances. The use of hook 28 under the condition described will serve to assure that the curtains are neatly supporteu and are not subject tobeing disturbed by drafts 01 air blowing thereagainst. Should anyone wish to dispense with the use of weights a suilicient number of hooks 28 could be used in or der to engage rings at the draw-cord ends when the curtains are in different positions. For example, a hook in the position of hook 28, Fig. 1, would serve to keep the curtains closed with or without weights and another hooker hooks could be used in a similar man ner to keep the draw-cord taut when the curt-ains are spread.

p The design of my curtain supportingdrawcord is intended to 'beso simple as to enable rapid attachment thereof and to eliminate any complexity which might ordinarily confront the housewife in arranging a set of curtains to be operable by a draw-cord. I also contemplate that because of the advantages incident in the use of my invention curtain manufacturers will find a market for sets of curtains already provided with my curtain supporting draw-cord assemblage.

I claim:

1. An article of manufacture comprising a tape, a plurality of cord engaging members spaced at intervals along the tape, at least one of said engaging members constituting means for securing a cord in fixed relation to the tape, and means whereby one end of the tape may be supported when the tape is in use.

p 2. An article of manufacture comprising a tape, a plurality of rings secured thereto in spaced relation, said rings being adapted to receive a cord, another ring at one endof the tape, and an adjustable cord fastening means at the other end of the tape.

3. An article of manufacture comprising a tape, cord engaging means including ring members and adjustable cord securing means spaced at intervals along the tape, and means at one end of the tape whereby that end may be supported when the tape is in use.

4- An article of manufacture comprising a tape, a plurality of rings stitched thereto at intervals along the tape, there being two rows of said rings lengthwise of the tape, cord securing means at one end of the tape, and a supporting ring at the other end of the tape for supporting the tape when in use.

5. The combination with a set of curtains including two curtains and means for supporting and moving the same, said means comprising two tapes, one for each of the curtains, said tapes being affixed along the upper edges of the curtains, a plurality of cord engaging members spaced at intervals along said tapes, a cord engaged by said members and so trained by said members as to extend from an end of the cord at one side edge of the set of curtains to the other side edge of the set of curtains and back to the first named edge and the other end of the cord, means fastening the adjacent inner ends of the tapes to different portions of said cord, weights attached to the ends of said cord,

and means secured to the tapes at their most extreme ends whereby the set of curtains may be supported in a window-frame and be sustained by the cooperation of said last named means, the weight tensioned cord, and cord engaging members.

In testimony whereof I hereto afiiX my signature.

LUIS G. EGGER. 

